Graced with a Curse
by Silverridge1739
Summary: Finally, the Prophecy of Seven is complete. All Jason can think of is returning to Camp Half-Blood with Piper and Leo and living as normal a life as a demigod can. But, when they are summoned to Mount Olympus, Jason messes up big time, and he must abandon his vision of a peaceful life if he wants to try and make it right.
1. Breakup

Jason was so happy he could blast Olympus. Gaea was gone, his friends were still alive, and Piper was holding his hand. Her hand was warm and smooth, and, as she sat beside him on the silver lined couch in the throne room of the gods, she was by far the most beautiful part. No offense to Annabeth of course. He had just leaned back into his seat when his dad, the almighty powerful Zeus with a not so attractive statue in Camp-Half Blood with a surprising resemblance to him, strode into the room. Poseidon, Hades, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Hera, and all the other gods followed, each taking a seat on their throne.

"Jason." Zeus' voice boomed out, resonating around the massive room. Piper squeezed his hand tightly, her eyes strangely determined, as he stepped up to kneel in front of his father.

"Father." He said in a respectful manner, bowing his head.

"Rise, and know I am proud to call you my son." Zeus said rather gruffly. Jason rose and looked up into the stormy eyes of his dad. They were full of solemness with a little bit of pride too. "Though you were born under Jupiter" Zeus' figure rippled to become a stern man in a deep gray toga, "you have made your peace among the Greeks." His form shifted back to a man with a ruffled gray beard and a business suit, "You helped fulfill a prophecy that has been haunting the Olympians for eons, and now, you deserve an ample reward. I make to you now the same offer I made Perseus Jackson not so long ago." He said, glancing disapprovingly at the green eyed son of Poseidon, "Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, is it your wish to become immortal, and live forever?" Jason was shocked. Sure, he'd expected something major, but, well, not _this_ major. He looked longingly around the throne room, his eyes landing of Piper. Her eyes were wide, her jaw clenched. He turned back to Zeus, mouth ready with a defiant no, when suddenly, he remembered all the monsters down there, 'in the basement'. In the Underworld. Wouldn't it be amazing, to be able to fight them, protect his friends, forever? Wouldn't it be better that way? And surely Piper would be offered it too, surely she would accept. Without looking back to Piper's urgent, vigorous shaking of her head, he stated,

"I accept." He did not hear Piper's sob, or Percy's moan, Leo's low whistle, or Annabeth's stifled gasp. Zeus looked triumphant.

"Your wish is granted." At first, it didn't feel any different, but then, Zeus raised his lightning bolt, which shimmered with a million volts of power, and one lone blot slithered out, landed with a gentle pop in Jason's outstretched hands. Grinning, he watched as the silver light merged with his skin, _felt _the strength that flowed through him, and he bowed once more to hide his smile. Turning, he moving to his seat, but Zeus said,

"Oh no, Jason. You have a seat here. A seat with the immortals." He waved his lightning bolt and a golden chair appeared, next to his father's throne. Jason strode towards it and sank into it, waiting for his friends to join him.

"Piper." Aphrodite's voice called softly, tinged with sadness. Piper walked up, trembling, her face streaked with tears. "Piper McLean, what is your wish?" Jason waited for her to ask, waited for her to say what he knew she would. She hesitated, glancing over at Jason, then turned to her mother.

"I-" Her voice broke, and she lowered her head. In a barely audible whisper, she murmured, "I would like to- to-" Once more she glanced longingly at Jason, before quietly saying, "I would like to become a Hunter."


	2. Hecate's Temple

Jason was shocked.

"Piper?" He asked, stunned. She turned away, and an avalanche of hurt and pain buried Jason. Piper walked over to Artemis, and knelt. Looking surprised, Artemis leaned down to whisper in Piper's ear. She nodded, and Artemis proclaims,

"Stand, Piper McLean, daughter of the Hunt." A silvery aura surrounds Piper, and she returns to sit next to Hazel, who hugs her tightly. Dazed, Jason watches his dream of a happy life, an immortal life, fighting monsters, protecting his friends, all with Piper at his side. Now, that hope was gone. He buried his head in his hands, and, for the first time in 13 years, Jason Grace cried. He sat, shaking, as Percy requested an addition to Camp Half-Blood, a city of sorts, where demigods could go to college, grow up, and get a real life, safe from monsters. Annabeth, of course, requested to design it, and Hazel and Frank both asked to be rid of their curses. Finally, Leo asked for a control disk, to fix Festus. The wishes were granted, but Jason cared about none of it. He saw, through blurry eyes, his friends leaving, casting one backward glance. Nothing more. That was when he made up his mind.

"Father. I want to be mortal again." Jason cried, throwing himself to his knees.

"I'm afraid, Jason, that that is not possible. Immortality is a curse that is yours to bear. It cannot be stripped of you without much powerful magic." Jason let out a scream of anguish and tore out of the throne room. His sneakers tattooed a rhythm into the marbled street, and he skidded to a halt in front of the temple of Hecate, goddess of magic. Kneeling for the third time that day, he murmured,

"Please, Hecate, show me how to strip myself of my curse." He tossed his last tube of Ritz crackers from his tattered backpack into the purple fire and waited. For twenty minutes he sat there, staring into the flames. Five minutes later, an eerie voice echoed around the little temple.

"Jason Grace. The boy graced with a curse."

"Who's there?" Jason cried, leaping to his feet, flipping his sword.

"Did you not call me?"

"Hecate?"

"It is me. Look into the fire, Jason Grace, and I will grant you magic. At a price, I can make you mortal."

"Please!" He begged.

"The fire, Jason. Look into the fire." He looked, and what he saw was, well, rather disturbing.

_Piper sat with a slim white wolf, a hunting hawk perched on her shoulder. Another girl, with spiky black hair and a silver circlet wound into it, crouched besides her next to a misty waterfall. Thalia tosses a golden drachma into the mist, and says,_

"_Oh Goddess of the Rainbow, show me Jason Grace." An image of Jason, crouching next to a purple fire, as if transfixed by it, appeared, with a smaller version of Thalia and Piper etched into the flickering fire._

"_He's watching us." Piper murmured. Turning to Jason, she says, "Why did you do it? Why? Why did you leave me?"_

"Piper!" Jason yelled, looking around frantically. But he saw the misty black walls of the temple once more. Had it always been so dark? "How long have I been in here?" He demanded to the empty air. The empty air, of course, did not reply. At least, not verbally. A purple calendar appeared on the wall, and, in thick black marker, November 19th was heavily circled. When he had entered the temple, it had been October 7th.

"Time passes quickly where magic is involved." The voice was back.

"Why did you keep me here?" He asked angrily, glaring up at the ceiling. "Just give me the answer!"

"It comes with a heavy price, immortal."

"I'll pay it!"


	3. Stalker

Jason knew he would probably be sent to the bottom of Tartus for all eternity if he was caught. But right now, he didn't especially care. He felt like a stalker, perched on a thick branch, staring down into the Hunter's camp. Piper, Thalia, and some other girls dressed in silver were sitting companionably on thick logs circling a camp fire. They all laughed as the girl next to Thalia said something. Even Piper joined in, her eyes bright and happy. Thats when Jason realized. Piper actually enjoyed it here. She didn't miss him. Tears stung his eyes, turning them into a hot, burning ball about to explode. He furiously wiped his eyes, and glared down, rather blurrily, at the assembled Hunters.

Jason awoke to the sound of leaves rustling faintly, and a faint sense of tingling. Everywhere. Trying to get up, he was seized with a huge, horrible tingling sensation, like a million needles burning his skin over and over. How long had he been here? Looking around, the Hunters were no where to be seen. He sighed once more. When he made Hecate that promise, he hadn't realized how hard it would be. But then again, capturing goddesses wasn't exactly what you'd call easy. He braved stretching once more, and, limb by limb, he rid himself of that horrid tingling, and with each burst of pain, he reminded himself of how he deserved it. This was all his fault. He drifted down from the tree, cushioning air beneath him. It was like walking on clouds, except his sneakers didn't get soaked straight through. He knew from experience. Jumping the last few feet, he landed with a thump on the soft, dewy ground. Looking around, he narrowed his eyes, for the millionth time that day cursing the Hunters uncanny ability to wipe their tracks. Rising up once more on cushions of air, he raced through the dawn sky, wind whipping through his short blonde hair, rippling the sides of his orange t-shirt. Closing his eyes, he let the wind wash over him, feeling it sting his nose, bite his cheeks, nip at his ears.

Smoke rose up in a small, twisting gray column, barely visible against the darkening sky. Found you! Jason thought, as he used his last bit of energy to propel himself forwards, towards the smoke. He landed on the wet, lumpy snow with a dull thump, and he resolutely began climbing a new tree. This time, he would actually hear something useful. Five days he had trailed them, five days he had fallen asleep in despair each night, having heard nothing of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Because she was the only one who could tell him how to get Piper back.


	4. Rejected

"Piper!" Jason hissed through the folds of the silver tent. A wolf barked warningly as Jason stepped into the dim circle of light made by the dying coals of the fire. "Pipes!" He tried a bit louder. Yes, he was standing outside Piper's tent in a heavily armed camp filled with boy-hating lunatics armed with bows, and no, he wasn't crazy. He was desperate. "Piper!" He said, and a bleary eyed Piper stalked out, right on cue. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Jason, and he looked down at his shirt self consciously. It was torn, dirty, streaked with mud, blood, and who knows what else. He realized he must look like a mess. He smiled hesitantly, and Piper stared at him with disgust.

"What are _you _doing here?" Jason was thunderstruck. What did she mean? Didn't she want to see him? His eyes burned, and he blinked furiously.

"Sorry." He said remorsefully. Her face turned a bright pink, and her eyes glittered dangerously.

"Sorry?" She hissed. "You become immortal, leave me for some stuck up life, and you come back and say _sorry_?" She was yelling now, and wolves began yipping. Confused whispers circulated camp. "Jason Grace, I- I- I _hate_ you! You couldn't think of someone other than yourself for once, could you? Look at Percy, he got offered immortality too, but he's better without it! I can't BELIEVE you!" She was shaking with rage now, and Jason slowly backed away.

"I'm, I, I'm really sorry Piper." Thalia walked around the corner, but drew up short at the sight of Jason. "Thalia-" She glared at him.

"I don't want to hear it Jason. Now, get out of our camp. _Immortal._" She scoffed, and, putting an arm around the quivering Piper, they went back into the tent. Jason stood, stunned, as he heard soothing murmuring coming from inside. How could she- how dare she- Lightning lit up the sky, and thunder roared ominously. Rain poured down from the heavens, and the sky was tinged green. Thalia ran out from the tent.

"Jason Grace, stop that now or so help me-" He bristled indignantly.

"Don't you 'Jason Grace' me, Thalia!" He snapped. She snarled at him, and, yelling "Aegis" her shield spiraled out of her bracelet. She drove him towards the treeline, eyes cold. She looked more like a crow than ever, with her spiky black hair dripping with rain, droplets cascading down her shoulders, black jacket glistening with wet. Her blue eyes flashed dangerously, and she gave him the evil eye.

"We all made our choices, Jason. And you made the wrong one."

"No, Thalia, you don't understand! I'm trying to make it right! I'm going to find out how to reverse my immortality!"


	5. Hunter no Longer

She was so surprised, she nearly dropped her shield.

"What?"

"I-" He hesitated. What would she think of him taking Hecate's advice? Deciding not to risk the wrath of Aegis, Jason improvised. A lot. "I made a really bad choice, so I, um, I'm gonna go to Zeus- dad, I mean- and ask him to change me back. And if he can't, I'll go to Camp Half-Blood, see the orac- Rachel, and ah, go on a quest. Yeah." Thalia raised her eyebrows at me.

"Really? That's your plan? Go ask the Lord of the Skies to make you mortal after a week of being immortal, and if that doesn't work, you're going to hunt down Rachel and try and snag a prophecy out of her, then you'll follow it alone?"

"Well when you say it like that..." Jason protested. Thalia slapped her bracelet and Aegis spiraled out of view.

"Don't worry. I'll go with you. See if I can convince Piper, but that would be kinda rough...I'll give it a shot." She said grimly. He threw his arms around her.

"Best. Sister. Ever." He whispered fiercely in her ear, and then Jason walked away, leaving her, stiff as a board, rain dripping into her stunned eyes.

"Um, I'll just go get Piper then..." She called after him, but he was already gone. She walked around the tent to the tied flap, and, silently untying it, crept inside. "Piper?" She called out softly, searching the soft interior of the homely tent for the girl. "C'mon, it's important." She exited the tent and stood, waiting, the moonlight shining softly on her spiky hair. A few minutes later, a dishevelled Piper stumbled out of the tent, wiping her red, slightly puffy eyes. Thalia decided not to push it. Much. "Piper, you can't keep beating yourself up-" Piper looked up with hostile eyes.

"Why are you all wet?"

"Um, freak thunderstorm?" She tried and Piper grimaced.

"Jason was here. Wasn't he?" She demanded, and Thalia couldn't respond, just nod dumbly. "Where?" She practically snarled. Thalia just pointed to the forest where Jason had disappeared. Piper stalked over, looking ferocious in her blue flannel pajamas. "Jason Grace, you stalker, come out right now!" She yelled, and stormed into the forest. A minute later, she returned, dragging Jason by the arm. He was trying in vain to pry her viselike grip off of him, but he may as well be pulling at stone. Stone would have been more yielding.

"C'mon, Piper!" He pleaded. "I'm sorry, I really am. I've been stupid and idiotic and all the stupid words in the dictionary plus more, but now, I'm trying to reverse it! I miss you!" Thalia saw Piper flinch, and felt a pang of sorrow for her. And her idiot brother. She just hoped he had a really good plan. Jason reached over, and grabbed her other arm, pulling her around to face him. He looked deep into her eyes, his shining.

"Piper. Come with me. Help me. I- I need you!" He whispered, and in response, with a gentle smile, she whispered back,

"Let's break mine first." She leaned forward and gave him a good and proper kiss. He hugged her hard, and eventually Thalia had to come up and tap him on the shoulder.

"I think that's good."

"Sorry." He said awkwardly, but Piper grinned as her clothes transformed back into her old snowboarding jacket.

"Guess who's back?"


	6. Battle Plan

Jason, Piper, and Thalia sat circled around a campfire, discussing a battle plan.

"Jason, you still haven't told us how you're going to get into Camp Half-Blood!" Piper poked his shoulder, and he looked over to her.

"What do you mean? I'll just walk in?"

"No, no, no! Jason, immortals can't enter camp without permission from Chiron." Piper said.

"I thought anyone could give me access." Jason frowned, biting his lip.

"The rules changed." Thalia butted in, and Piper nodded. Jason leaned back into the dewy grass and stared up at the stars, all twinkly and shiny in the black sky.

"Hey dad, I don't know if you can here me all the way down here, but could you help me? I need to-" How was he supposed to say this? I need to remove your incredible once in a lifetime offer because I don't like it anymore? Piper grasped his hand and lay down next to him, finishing his sentence for him.

"Come home." He smiled softly, admiring the way her hair gleamed in the moonlight and her hazel eyes danced in the firelight. Thalia rolled her eyes and sighed, rather dramatically and unhumanly loud, but Jason got the point. He sat back up, and looked back to Thalia.

"What do you think we should do?"

"I think you should have Rachel come to us." He sat there, stunned at the simple brilliance of it. Thalia waited patiently for him to figure out the major flaw.

"But...we're on the other side of the continent. In California."

"With no drachmas." Piper said glumly.

"Or mist." Thalia added.

"Pessimists." Jason muttered.

"Hey, we're only thinking rationally. What would you suggest?" Thalia snapped, and no one spoke for about a minute. But then, a slow grin spread across Jason's face.

"Follow me." Thalia ran over and dumped a nearby water bottle on the fire, and Piper packed up Thalia's Hunter tent. Jason waited, then let out a shrill, high, piercing whistle. Slowly, a black, flickering, smoky horse materialized, and Jason patted it's flank.

"Ladies, meet Tempest, our ride." Thalia stared at him, while Piper shivered.

"But, won't he disappear after a while?"

"Um..." Jason didn't quite have an answer for that.

"Let's hope not." Thalia said grimly and jumped on, stretching down to grab Piper's hand and yank her up too. Jason conjured up a harness made of lightning, with a long lead at the end. Piper paled noticeably, and Thalia froze, her mind working overtime. Jason fly. Horse fly. Leash.

"Oh no, oh no you don't Jason Grace!"

"That's the second time you've said that all night." Jason muttered, and, in one fluid motion flinging the lead onto Tempest, rose up into the air. Keeping a tight hold on the reins, he created a slight drizzle, fogging up the atmosphere until only a son of Ju- Zeus could see through it. Hopefully this would stop the mortals from running around, screaming their heads off at the sight of a flying boy and his storm horse shooting across the sky. Looking up at a slightly brighter spot in the sky where the sun was, he closed his eyes and using an internal compass he didn't' know he had, started flying west, making the winds push him forward, towards Camp Half-Blood.


	7. Capture by Drakon

Jason didn't know when he fell asleep, but when he woke up, Piper and Thalia were screaming at him. Wind rushed past him, and his stomach plummeted. He was falling. His sleep clogged brain struggled to control the wind, but the weightless feeling wouldn't come. His hand still clutched the lead, and in one last, desperate gesture, he snapped the reins.

"Camp Half-blood!" Then he released the flickering reins, and his last vision was of Piper and Thalia looking back at him and screaming his name. It was nice to die a celebrity.

It felt like Jason fell forever, tumbling end over end into the swirling black void. At one point, it seemed as if he was flying upward, then sideways, then upside down. His brain, once tensed in fear, had relaxed into a mildly annoyed state. What was taking so long? Was Hades backed up, or what? He cracked open his eyelids, and found himself face to face with a hard, unforgiving ground. He grinned, and slowly let himself float down until he was resting on the cool, slightly wet grass. He breathed in deeply and inhaled some grass, which started him hacking violently. When he was done, he tried to assess the situation. He'd saved himself- or Zeus had saved him- from looking like a orange pancake, and saved Piper and Thalia, also sending them to Camp Half-Blood. There was no place safer. Except Camp Jupiter, but gods forbid, they would receive a tense welcome. At best. Either way, everyone was safe. Stumbling to his feet, and regained his balance and tried to focus, looking up at the light dawn sky.

"Hey, dad. Could I ask you for one more little favor? I need to get to Camp Half-Blood." He waited. And waited. No magical gust of wind transported him to camp, no cyclone swept him up. An idea struck him.

"Ju-Hera? Could you? You owe me one." A minute passed, and suddenly Hera stood in front of him. He smiled, and knelt. "Thank you." She laughed humorlessly, making him sneak a glance up. "If I may, my lady, what is so funny?"

"You think, my little hero, that I owe _you_? If anything, you owe me." She paused, and took on a slightly more firm tone. "Nevertheless, I feel obliged to help you return to your family. I am the goddess of family after all. And, Aphrodite requested you be returned to her daughter. Immediately." Hera said, muttering some very unflattering things about love, and goddesses. And disgrace. Jason nodded, fighting a smile. He had transportation.

"Just remember- I owe you nothing, Jason Grace. You may be my champion, but, immortal you may be, now you are expendable." On that pleasant note, Hera vanished, leaving in her place a giant...peacock. Jason groaned.

"You've _got _to be kidding me." The peacock made a strangled sort of shriek and bent low. Jason sighed, and clambered on, wishing for his storm spirit horse. Then, the peacock took off at a loping trot, and trees seemed to part before it. The world blurred around him, and suddenly strawberries tainted the air. A familiar hill, topped with a familiar pine tree, came into sight. The peacock crested the ridge and, as it crossed the magical barrier, Jason was thrown unceremoniously off, repelled by an invisible wall of magic. The peacock strutted into camp and disappeared into Hera's cabin, making the occasional yelp. Jason strained his eyes, and saw Thalia and Piper outside the Big House. Piper was sitting on the step, head in hands, and Thalia was pacing nervously, fingering her bow. He tried to think of a way to get them to let him in. Pressing his hand against the barrier, he saw a ripple of blue spread out from it, absorbing his hand. He pushed farther and got zapped back. Cursing, he kicked the barrier, and received an unpleasant shock for his troubles.

"Need some help?" An amused voice called, and Rachel Dare, the oracle, strode over to him. He spun, questions forming in his mouth.

"What are you doing outside of camp?" She shrugged.

"What are you doing?" Thrown, he frowned, before remembering Thalia and Piper.

"So, do you think you could-"

"I, Rachel Dare, oracle of Delphi, give Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, permission to enter." He took a step forward and was in. Turning to grin at Rachel, he froze as he saw a horrific sight looming up behind her.

She looked up, and, seeing his startled eyes, spun to see the huge, unblinking eyes of a drakon staring back at her.

"Ahh!" She yelled, and tried to run to the barrier. It's tail snaked out and knocked her down. Jason tried to shout, to warn the other campers, but he was paralyzed with fear as he stared into the mesmerizing, swirling, yellow eye. She pulled out a bronze dagger and slashed at the drakon, but it snarled and snatched her up in it's giant claws. Turning, it slithered back into the forest, and Jason was freed from his paralysis.

"Rachel!" He yelled, and raced back out, following the trampled debri and the sound of Rachel screaming. Campers had gathered at the edge of the barrier, half dressed for battle, holding swords, forks, and chainsaws. He motioned to the path of destruction in front of him.

"It took Rachel!" Their eyes widened and they streamed out, following the path. Annabeth and Percy ran past, and she nodded to him grimly. Leo raced after them, hefting a celestial bronze chainsaw and a huge hammer. His eyes were alight with maniacal fire, and his hands were ablaze. Jason joined the flow of campers, and sprinted after the trail of destruction.


End file.
